According to For The Love Of Sunshine Founder Akeisha Shipman,
“When you get sick what do you do? You probably make an appointment with your doctor, hop in your car, and try to arrive on time. For the homeless, showing up for an appointment on time, getting to class and maintaining a job becomes almost impossible without a reliable means of transportation of their own.
“As of January 2019, Texas had an estimated 25,848 experiencing homelessness on any given day, as reported by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). In Dallas and Collin County combined, a total of 4,538 persons were reported experiencing homeless of which 1,452 were unsheltered.
“Inspired by the love for Roy A. Wilborn Jr. who was robbed for his bicycle, his only means of transportation and fatally shot, For the Love of Sunshine provides encouragement and resources for individuals in transition from homelessness to thriving. We strive to remove the transportation barrier as our homeless population work towards fixing their homeless situation and transportation needs. New bikes are specifically chosen for individuals who are actively helping themselves in work or education programs through an application process. It is more than a giveaway. For each homeless individual, a new bike fills the gap of transportation woes when looking for jobs, attending medical appointments and classes. Our mission is to bring hope, help them understand that they are believed in, supported, and moving in the right direction.
“We are so humbled, grateful to all our supporters. We get excited and overjoyed thinking about the launch of For the Love of Sunshine last spring. We partnered with the Samaritan Inn, McKinney and blessed residents with bikes and safety equipment. Since our bicycle donations, many residents have been able to have their transportation needs met. One resident in particular, Chad, shared with us that he has been able to use his bicycle to apply for and find a temporary job position for this summer. His new bike enables him to get to and from his new job. In addition, he has obtained a stay-at-home position which will allow him to also save up money for his automobile transportation in the future. We are thankful that we have been able to be a blessing to Chad and his family during this season!
“Donations via North Texas giving Day will enable For the Love of Sunshine to continue to support our North Texas families with bikes and blessings! It takes a village and we’re delighted to be a part of this village of giving and kindness!”
* Graphic/photo provided by Akeisha Shipman **Photo credit: The Samaritan Inn
In 12 years, Communities Foundation of Texas’ North Texas Giving Day has pumped more than $375 million into the North Texas community. In 2020, more than $58.8 million was raised through more than 106,000 donors benefiting over 3,200 area nonprofits.
On Thursday, September 23, support For The Love Of Sunshine by linking here and spreading the word. #NTxGivingDay